Air Peace: A domestic airline still standing tall

Nigeria’s leading indigenous carrier, Air Peace, has again made history as the airline signed a multimillion dollars aircraft deal with the United States aircraft manufacturing firm, Boeing, to increase its fleet.

The deal which allows the aircraft company to sell 10 new Boeing 737 Max 8 aero planes to Air Peace was signed at the residence of the United States Consul General in Nigeria, Mr John Bray in Lagos between the Air Peace Chairman, Mr, Allen Onyema and the Sales Director of Boeing Commercial Airplanes (West and Central Africa), Mr. Larry Tolliver.

According to Onyema, the acquisition of the aircraft will not only help to reposition the airline to subsequently contribute its quota to lifting Nigeria’s economy, but create jobs and transform air travel.

While the Boeing representative commended Air Peace for choosing the aircraft type which he said would drastically cut the airline’s cost of operations,the US Consul General in Lagos, assured of the optimum support of the American government towards economic growth between the two countries.

Obviously, what makes the latest aircraft deal between Air Peace and United States Boeing unique lies in the fact that it happened at a time when domestic airline operators are at their lowest ebb in the country for various reasons ranging from harsh business environment, economic hardship to inability of some of the domestic airline operators to grasp the rules guarding and guiding the business of airline operations.

It was therefore heartwarming to see a domestic carrier in the midst of these challenges still able to stand tall by signing such a big deal for the acquisition of 10 aircraft in a fell swoop at a time when many other airlines are going under with many investors staying away from the sector.

It takes a determined and patriotic business man like the Air Peace owner to still continue to invest in a sector many had described as hostile to business with all the risks involved.

The chairman of the airline has never hidden his vision for establishing the airline which he attributed to his desire to contribute his own quota to the development of the country through the employment of many qualified young graduates of various professional skills devoid of ethnic, gender or religious sentiments.

It is on record that the airline, since inception four years ago, has recorded so many ‘firsts’ on the domestic airline scene including being the first to appoint a female as its Managing Director, first to own and operate six Embraer 145 in West Africa, first to launch its inaugural flight with seven aircraft, first to have an all female crew (all Nigerians) operate a wide body aircraft in Nigeria, the first to register and operate two 777 in West Africa, the first to own four Boeing 777 at a go and the latest of being the first to order for 10 Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft in Nigeria.

The 737 MAX aircraft, according to information gathered, is the fastest-selling airplane in Boeing history, accumulating more than 4,700 orders from 102 customers worldwide.

Without batting an eyelid, Air Peace is an airline that deserves to be supported by the government as it has been able to prove that it knows the rudiments of airline business which is largely responsible for its ability to continue to remain in business while many others who could not stand the heat had packed up.

• Why late marriage will affect your chances of getting pregnant

Apart from operating into many states across the country, Air Peace which is also doing well on the regional routes has also been designated on six international routes of Dubai, London, Guangzhou-China, Houston, Mumbai and South Africa.

With the number of aircraft in its fleet, the airline is no doubt preparing the ground to be able to compete strongly on the routes with foreign carriers.

Presently, the airline has 24 aircraft in its fleet with 10 more being expected.

Air Peace airline is expected to have 34 aircraft in its fleet thus becoming another carrier from West Africa having such a large fleet.

Following the latest aircraft deal, there is no doubt that the airline is ready to bridge the gap created by the inability of other domestic airlines to operate many abandoned routes on the continent and the international routes with which Nigeria has bilateral agreements.

Therefore, with Air Peace, all hope is not lost for domestic airline business in Nigeria and better days are ahead for the Nigerian travelers who will have alternative choices to make between an indigenous carrier and the foreign airlines.

Rather than being criticized, the time has come for the government and all stakeholders to support Air Peace with all the required wherewithals needed to fly the flag of the country into the six countries it has been designated.